wheels were churning for the ranch.
On Saturday, the hearing was held in Mayfield’s Red Horse Saloon. The only place large enough for such a crowd in the village. The Reynolds clan was there in force, except Chet didn’t see Kenny in that crowd. No doubt word had got back to them that he was the chief suspect and a writ would be issued for his arrest. Kenny could be in Kansas or New Mexico by then. From time to time, Chet overheard Big Earl boasting they wasn’t indicting his boy for this crime. Why, he was plumb in the other end of the county all that day and Earl had witnesses to prove it.
When Chet took the stand, he heard several boos. Judge Barr rapped the gavel. “Another outburst like that and I’ll sentence you to thirty days in the county jail.”
In the middle of Chet’s testimony, Earl jumped up and said he was lying. “I’ve got six men here will swear where my boy was at that day.”
“Mr. Reynolds, we will hear that testimony later.”
“Your Honor, I can’t stand that that no-account up there lying about my boy.”
“Mr. Reynolds, you will have your turn to speak. You interrupt these proceedings one more time and I’ll have you escorted from this room.”
He sat down again.
Chet finished his testimony and stepped down off the stage. He joined Susie and the boys. “You did well.” she said.
Doc came next, and showed the judge the bloody sheet and the name. He went through some fancy words, but it meant she’d been raped and then murdered sometime in the afternoon of the day she was found. Four others verified the sheet as the one found under her body and testified they’d read the words she’d written in her own blood.
Then two from the Reynolds clan and three Campbells swore that Kenny had been with them in the other end of the county all that day.
“Mr. Campbell, I have heard from five of you,” Judge Barr said to the last witness. “That you were all with this man on that day. However, no one but family members saw him by your account. No reputable storekeeper or saloon man saw him that day?”
“Hell, I don’t know. He was damn sure with us.”
“Name some other reliable witnesses that saw him.”
“You calling me a liar?”
Barr shook his head. “I asked for a witness that was not a family member.”
Earl bolted up and shouted, “By Gawd, I’ll get some!”
“Sit down, Mr. Reynolds. I am issuing a warrant for Kenny Reynolds’s arrest for the rape and murder of Marla Porter. When arrested, he will be bound over to the circuit court for his trial.”
“He’s not guilty!” Earl shouted.
“Mr. Reynolds, no one is guilty until a judge or jury says so. He will have his day in court.”
“Those lying sons a bitches you had here need their tongues cut out.”
“You lay a finger on any of them, even threaten one of them, I’ll slap an obstruction of justice charge on you. Am I clear?”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“Mr. Reynolds, I suggest your son Kenny immediately surrender to Sheriff Trent. As a wanted person facing a felony trial, his life might be endangered if he doesn’t.”
“And you think he’ll get a fair trial? No, I saw you today turn those witnesses around against him. I won’t say nothing of the like to him.”
“If you’re concealing him, that could make you an accessory.”
“I seen all your kinda law I want to see. They lied about my other boy stealing their gawddamn horses; now they’re lying about poor Kenny.”
Barr rapped his gavel. “Court is dismissed. Reynolds, approach this bench.”
He sauntered up there and stood feet apart and arms folded. “What now?”
“Marla Porter was raped and then murdered by an insane person. It was such a horrible scene that I vomited at the very sight of it. If a jury finds him guilty—he’ll be hung.”
“Not while I’m still alive he won’t be.”
“You better go find a good lawyer and surrender him.”
“Fuck you.”
Barr shook his head in disgust. “You may think you’re
On Saturday, the hearing was held in Mayfield’s Red Horse Saloon. The only place large enough for such a crowd in the village. The Reynolds clan was there in force, except Chet didn’t see Kenny in that crowd. No doubt word had got back to them that he was the chief suspect and a writ would be issued for his arrest. Kenny could be in Kansas or New Mexico by then. From time to time, Chet overheard Big Earl boasting they wasn’t indicting his boy for this crime. Why, he was plumb in the other end of the county all that day and Earl had witnesses to prove it.
When Chet took the stand, he heard several boos. Judge Barr rapped the gavel. “Another outburst like that and I’ll sentence you to thirty days in the county jail.”
In the middle of Chet’s testimony, Earl jumped up and said he was lying. “I’ve got six men here will swear where my boy was at that day.”
“Mr. Reynolds, we will hear that testimony later.”
“Your Honor, I can’t stand that that no-account up there lying about my boy.”
“Mr. Reynolds, you will have your turn to speak. You interrupt these proceedings one more time and I’ll have you escorted from this room.”
He sat down again.
Chet finished his testimony and stepped down off the stage. He joined Susie and the boys. “You did well.” she said.
Doc came next, and showed the judge the bloody sheet and the name. He went through some fancy words, but it meant she’d been raped and then murdered sometime in the afternoon of the day she was found. Four others verified the sheet as the one found under her body and testified they’d read the words she’d written in her own blood.
Then two from the Reynolds clan and three Campbells swore that Kenny had been with them in the other end of the county all that day.
“Mr. Campbell, I have heard from five of you,” Judge Barr said to the last witness. “That you were all with this man on that day. However, no one but family members saw him by your account. No reputable storekeeper or saloon man saw him that day?”
“Hell, I don’t know. He was damn sure with us.”
“Name some other reliable witnesses that saw him.”
“You calling me a liar?”
Barr shook his head. “I asked for a witness that was not a family member.”
Earl bolted up and shouted, “By Gawd, I’ll get some!”
“Sit down, Mr. Reynolds. I am issuing a warrant for Kenny Reynolds’s arrest for the rape and murder of Marla Porter. When arrested, he will be bound over to the circuit court for his trial.”
“He’s not guilty!” Earl shouted.
“Mr. Reynolds, no one is guilty until a judge or jury says so. He will have his day in court.”
“Those lying sons a bitches you had here need their tongues cut out.”
“You lay a finger on any of them, even threaten one of them, I’ll slap an obstruction of justice charge on you. Am I clear?”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“Mr. Reynolds, I suggest your son Kenny immediately surrender to Sheriff Trent. As a wanted person facing a felony trial, his life might be endangered if he doesn’t.”
“And you think he’ll get a fair trial? No, I saw you today turn those witnesses around against him. I won’t say nothing of the like to him.”
“If you’re concealing him, that could make you an accessory.”
“I seen all your kinda law I want to see. They lied about my other boy stealing their gawddamn horses; now they’re lying about poor Kenny.”
Barr rapped his gavel. “Court is dismissed. Reynolds, approach this bench.”
He sauntered up there and stood feet apart and arms folded. “What now?”
“Marla Porter was raped and then murdered by an insane person. It was such a horrible scene that I vomited at the very sight of it. If a jury finds him guilty—he’ll be hung.”
“Not while I’m still alive he won’t be.”
“You better go find a good lawyer and surrender him.”
“Fuck you.”
Barr shook his head in disgust. “You may think you’re
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